GOOD times are to be had at the Ropemakers in West Street, Bridport, with new local band Skarlatans who will entertain from 9:15pm tomorrow (17).

The Skalatans play early 60s Jamaican dance tunes, from the era when 50s American R&B swung into Ska and Rock Steady, think Jazz Jamaica meets The Skatalites and dance your heart away to some Latin/jazz dance tunes.

Saturday sees a change of pace with Hobo Jones and the Junkyard Dogs at 9:15pm. Hobo Jones & The Junkyard Dogs are one of the most original bands that you will find on the pub and festival circuit today.

They are three guys, Wino Tyrone, Miser Bill, and Davey Malone, who are from Maidstone in Kent. All three are all very rich with talent and skills in entertaining any crowd young or old, with their skiffle style reworking of old classics.

Relaxing for the Sunday session at 4pm, Ben Morgan-Brown is a delight to welcome to Bridport. Ben is a singer/songwriter and accomplished finger style guitarist – named by FATEA magazine as one of the Rising Stars of 2018 and described by Tom Robinson of BBC6 Music as ‘the brilliant Ben Morgan-Brown’, his intimate and often highly personal songs and performances have drawn comparisons to Bert Jansch, John Smith, Nick Drake & Ryley Walker.

Since the release of his debut EP, Cold Rooms, in December 2017, Ben has been performing extensively across the south west and beyond, with appearances at How The Light Gets In, Bridport Folk Festival and Cornwall Folk Festival amongst others, and has opened for established and upcoming artists including John Bramwell (I Am Kloot), Harbottle & Jonas, Daria Kulesh, Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage and Tim Jones & The Dark Lanterns.

A jazz special on Monday evening sees the legendary local band the Sunset Café Stompers take the stage at 8.15pm. The Sunset Café was a top night-spot on Chicago’s infamous South Side. Al Capone owned it, Louis Armstrong starred there. The Sunset Cafe Stompers do play the music of that period... great tunes from Scott Joplin, Irving Berlin, Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller... but the band’s wide repertoire also features songs made famous by artists as diverse as Patsy Cline, Marilyn Monroe, the Inkspots, Fats Domino... even Elvis. Beneath it all, one can sense the elusive, shifting, pulse which defines the sound of New Orleans.